multivalve

English

Etymology

multi- +‎ valve

Adjective

multivalve (not comparable)

1. Having or involving multiple valves (in any context); thus:
   1. (internal combustion engines) Having multiple intake valves and multiple exhaust valves per cylinder (typically two of each instead of one of each).
   2. (anatomy, zoology, medicine) Having multiple biological valves.

      a multivalve mollusk

   3. (anatomy, zoology, medicine) Involving multiple heart valves.

      multivalve heart disease

Usage notes

Idiomatically, multivalve is the adjective usually used in reference to internal combustion engines, whereas multivalvular is the adjective usually used in reference to heart disease.

Synonyms

• multivalvar
• multivalvular

Noun

multivalve (plural multivalves)

1. (zoology) A multivalve mollusc.